Usage of multi-user radio communication systems has become widely popular in recent years. Advancements in communication technologies have permitted the implementation, and portable utilization, of such communication systems, thereby to permit large numbers of users to communicate therethrough.
A radio communication system, similar to other types of communication systems, is formed of a sending station and a receiving station interconnected by way of a communication channel. In a radio communication system, a radio communication channel forms the communication channel. A radio communication channel is defined upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.
In contrast, a communication channel defined in a wireline communication system is defined upon a wireline connection extending between the sending and receiving stations. Because a radio communication channel, defined upon a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, is used to communicate data between the sending and receiving stations in a radio communication system, the need for a wireline connection to interconnect the sending and receiving station, required in a wireline communication system, is obviated. The mobility of communications in a radio communication system is inherently greater than that permitted in a typical wireline communication system.
Digital communication techniques have been implemented in radio, as well as other, communication systems. Digital communication techniques generally permit the communication system in which the techniques are implemented to achieve greater communication capacity than the capacity permitted in a communication system utilizes conventional, analog communication techniques.
A cellular communication system is exemplary of a communication system which is widely utilized and which regularly is constructed to make use of digital communication techniques. Communications in a cellular communication system generally are effectuated by way of mobile station carried by a user. A mobile station is a radio transceiver permitting two-way communication of radio signals with network infrastructure of the cellular communication system. The network infrastructure of the cellular communication system is connected, for instance, to a PSTN (Public-Switched, Telephonic Network), thereby to permit communication between the mobile station and a remote station, coupled to the PSTN.
A cellular communication system generally is operable over a fairly large geographical region, sometimes national or even extra-national in scope. A user of the mobile station is able to communicate by way of the cellular communication system when located at virtually any location encompassed by the cellular communication system. And, as the user, together with the mobile station, travels, handover of communications through successive portions of the network infrastructure of the cellular communication system permits continued communications by way of the mobile station.
At least one cellular communication system, the GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system includes the possibility that packet radio services pursuant to GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) shall permit the communication of digital data, packetized into packets of data. Communication of packet data pursuant to GPRS is effectuated at the same level of security, QoS (Quality of Service) level, and global mobility, as that provided for conventional GSM, cellular communications. Conventional proposals for GPRS messaging, however, permit only relatively low data communication rates for multimedia services, particularly when large numbers of users use the system to effectuate conventional cellular communications. Installation of a GPRS system is also relatively costly.
Digital communication techniques are also utilized in conventional LANs (Local Area Networks). LANs conventionally interconnect groups of computer work stations within an office area, or the like, to permit communications therebetween. Wireless networks, operable in manners analogous to wired LANs, referred to as WLANs (Wireless Local Area Networks), have also been developed and are utilized to communicate data over a radio link. Some of such systems are able to provide for voice, as well as nonvoice, communications.
One system, standards of which are set forth in the IEEE 802.11 specification, provides for fast data communications in a WLAN. A WLAN system constructed pursuant to the IEEE 802.11 standard provides a relatively quick data rate to effectuate communication of data as well as a relatively simple infrastructure. However, in contrast to GPRS systems, lessened security provisions are implemented. Additionally, a WLAN inherently does not provide wide-area mobility. If a manner could be provided by which to integrate operation of a GPRS system and a WLAN system, incorporating the advantages of each, the resultant, integrated system would advantageously provide an improved communication system.
It is in light of this background information related to radio communication systems that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.